Smirking killer causes victim's brother to lash out in court

A man who lost three family members – including his pregnant sister – during a violent home invasion became so overwhelmed with rage when their killer smirked at him in court he physically lashed out at the gunman.

Delray Sanders delivered an emotional victim impact statement in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday after James Sparks Henderson III admitted to killing three of his family members along with two other people.

The 21-year-old shot Sander's nephew Ja'Rio Taylor, 18, his girlfriend, Shaylona Williams, 17 and Lemon Bryant, 60, at a Cleveland home in 2014.

Sander's nine-year-old niece walked in during the "horrific" attack and was grazed by a bullet when he opened fire. His pregnant sister Sherita Johnson, 41, was gunned down in the driveway, killing her and her unborn son.

"I am glad you're going to suffer every single day of your life. You're not going to get to have it easy and get killed – I am politely glad that you're suffering right now with that smirk on your face," Sanders said.

"But when you in that cell, lying in one of those rooms, it's gonna get real serious 'cause you ain't been there yet," he added before lunging at the defendant.

Sanders – who admitted to being jailed on four occasions – managed to dodge a woman standing in front of him before launching himself at his sister's killer.

Sparks Henderson was dragged from the courtroom as it was cleared "for his protection".

Sander's mother, Patricia Johnson, said Henderson's lack of remorse after the killings, which the court heard were some of the "most terrible crimes in Cleveland's history", is what drove her son's aggression.

"He was over there laughing. That's what hurt my son," she told News 5 Cleveland.

Sparks Henderson was reportedly arrested six months after the shooting with the murder weapon still tucked in his belt.

The killings have been labelled one of the worst crimes in Clevland's history. (Fox 8) ()